Unseen
by shockin'blueeyes
Summary: Third and last installement in the Spanish girl series. The war is raging, and the need to search Horcruxes is getting bigger by the day. Would Harry be able to cope with all that and still have Isabel by his side afterwards?Settled in Deathly Hallows R
1. Dangerous Forever

Hello to everybody! I proudly present the third and last instalment in the Spanish series. This fic you're about to read is the sequel of Invisible and Transparent, and you'll need to read both if you want to understand this one.

To all the readers that have followed me since Invisible, thanks for hanging on, and I'll appreciate some reviews!

This fic will be based on The Deathly Hallows, of course, but it'll be by the book, because I don't want to wait till July to post this, and besides, I'm more familiarised with the book.

As I said in the last one, I insist that Isabel is not a part of the Golden Trio, and I would never try to include her, so don't expect her to be in every single thing the trio does, though she'll be in some parts. This book is proven to be a difficult challenge, so I just hope you appreciate my effort.

I will try to just write bits were Isabel is present, and that'll likely include some book dialogues, so sorry if it gets a bit boring some times. Just tell me if it gets to much and I'll try to fix it the best I can.

And again, I ask you to alert me of any sign of Mary Sueness. Just because Isabel wasn't one the last two fics doesn't mean I can let my guard down. So please, kindly tell me if she gets Mary Sue, okay?

One more thing: this whole story is dedicated to my friends Adriana and Loreto, the witty beyond limits Ravenclaw and the crazy about music Slytherin girls. Thanks for being with me in the Harry Potter universe, and for being the best friends I could have ever wished for.

Disclaimer: I'm tired of repeating it. I. Only. Own. Isabel. Got it?

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_Chapter 1_

Harry landed hard on the floor, falling forwards and ending on all fours in the garden of The Burrow, breathing hard. He heard yells, and next thing he knew someone was hugging him so hard he thought he might split in two. Still dazed, he was about to push the person off when he recognized the smell, and through his surprise, he hugged her back. He didn't know what she was doing here, because he hadn't expected to see her until the wedding, but then again, he wasn't complaining.

'_Gracias a Dios, gracias a Dios_ **(A/N: Thank God, thank God)** Harry you're okay!' Isabel's voice came out in uneven gasps, like she had just run a marathon.

'It's okay, I'm here, I'm here…' he stroked her head, which was buried in his shoulder, and he looked to Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, who were helping Hagrid to his feet.

'Harry! What happened? Where are the others?'

His stomach squeezed painfully, and he climbed to his feet, holding onto Isabel for support.

'What do you mean? Isn't anyone else back yet?' Ginny shook her head, but Mrs. Weasley's face clearly showed the answer. He tried to explain what happened, try to make her understand that he didn't know what happened to the Weasleys, but instead Mrs. Weasley hugged him with the same intensity Isabel had done. Then she turned around and guided Hagrid to the kitchen, and he looked anxiously at Isabel, who answered immediately his silent plea.

'Ron and Tonks missed their portkey, they were first, and then Mrs. Weasley and Fred missed it to. You were the third, and Lupin and George should be back in a minute or so' they stood there in silence for what seemed and eternity, and somewhere in the distance the trees ruffled with the wind. Suddenly, a blue light appeared in the darkness and got bigger, until Lupin and George materialised on the spot, just as Mrs. Weasley was coming back with a bottle of brandy. Immediately Harry realised something wasn't right, as Lupin was holding an unconscious George, whose face and robes were covered in blood.

Mrs. Weasley gave an anguished cry and clutched her chest, and Harry seized George's feet and moved him with Lupin towards the house, Isabel and Ginny close behind and Mrs. Weasley bringing up the rear. They quickly placed George on the couch in the living room, and Mrs. Weasley bent over him. As Lupin grabbed Harry and dragged him none too kindly to the kitchen, Isabel threw a curious glance at them, but Lupin closed the door before Harry could communicate back.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

When they came back to the living room, Hermione now with them, Harry spotted Mrs Weasley standing near George's head while Isabel Scourgified a bloody handkerchief.

Harry walked closer to where George was, and saw that now he had a gaping hole instead of ear. It made his insides churn.

'How is he?'

'I can't make it grow again, we've tried everything we know, but with Dark Magic…'

'He's alive, though' said Ginny, who was white faced and visibly shaking. Harry looked back at Isabel, who was also pale, but looked much more calm and collected than the redheads in the room. She got up from her crouching position on the floor and went by his side, clutching his hand tightly.

'I'll prove who I am, Kingsley, after I've seen my son, now back off if you know what's good for you!' the door of the kitchen was kicked open ,and a very disgruntled looking Mr. Weasley came in, followed by Fred. Mrs. Weasley immediately began to sob and clung to his husband, who had just sunk to his knees beside George. For the first time since he had known him, Fred seemed at a lost of words, and stared over the back of the couch at his twin.

Harry looked anxiously at George as he stirred.

'How do you feel, Georgie?' whispered Mrs. Weasley

'Saint-like'

'What's wrong with him? Is his mind affected?' Fred looked past terrified, but his twin opened his eyes and looked up at him.

'Saint-like. You see… I'm holy. Holey, Fred, geddit?' Fred threw his arms up in the air.

'Pathetic. Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humour and you go for holey?' Fred grinned, and George turned to Mrs. Weasley, who was sobbing even harder now. He too was grinning.

'Ah, well. You'll be able to tell us apart now, anyway, Mum.' George joked around a little bit more, but the smile was whipped off his face when he heard the others weren't back yet. Harry closed his eyes for a second, trying to control the choking fear that enveloped him. Ron wasn't back yet, and neither were Tonks, Bill and Fleur. He felt Isabel leading him back out of the house, where the cool summer breeze swept past him. Kingsley was already outside, pacing up and down, and Hermione was nibbling at her nails, eyes scanning the garden. Isabel was still holding his hand, and through the fear, he realised he didn't what was she doing here yet.

'Why are you here?' he asked. In the soft light that came from the window, he saw Isabel's eyes glitter.

'Mrs. Weasley flooed me this evening, told me to come over. Said it was urgent, so I took a portkey to London and then apparated here. She told me the whole plan, and I couldn't leave until I knew you were safe.' She said, looking up at him. He tried to smile encouragingly at her, but he just managed a weak smirk.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-H-P-H-P**_

'Harry?' a soft voice pulled him out of the vision, and he rubbed his forehead, looking back to where Isabel was standing, still a few feet away. In the darkness he could just make out her form coming towards him. 'You aren't still determined on leaving, aren't you?' he shook his head, watching how the Thestral silently paced around the garden, and was reminded of a rainy afternoon, when Isabel had danced around him in a prairie full of Thestrals. It seemed a lifetime ago.

'What happened?' she asked, seeing his face

'I'm not sure... It was like the visions I had in fifth year... it was Voldemort, he was angry at Ollivander'

'Ollivander, the wand maker?' she seemed startled, and he quickly told her all about the vision. When he finished, Isabel shook her head and rubbed his arm soothingly.

'It's okay, Harry. You need to tell this to Hermione and Ron, they'll want to now.' despite her soothing tone, he could see the worry that lay underneath, and they fell into a comfortable silence, standing side by side.

Besides him, Isabel's gaze flickered to the Thestral, and his brows shot up in confusion.

'You can see it?'

'I saw it, when it happened, at the Ministry…' her voice seemed to quiver and she trailed off, but she didn't need to continue, he already knew what she meant.

Suddenly it all came flooding back to him: Sirius, Dumbledore, Mad-Eye… slowly but surely everybody who cared for him was dropping dead, and he wouldn't be able to bear it if she… the reasons he had tried to broke up with Isabel back in June seemed to gain force again, but he already knew it would be useless to try and convince her. She was too determined on not letting him go, and besides, there was a stronger reason as to why he couldn't bring himself to ask her to leave his life.

Over the last month, his last month with the Dursleys, saying he had missed her terribly would have been an understatement. Everyday he would just sit on his bed for at lest an hour and stare at the photograph Collin gave him, the one with Isabel in the common room, the night they got together. The look they shared was intense enough to make him feel warm inside every time he saw it, and that was the reason why the photograph was safely tucked away with the two way mirror, the Marauder's Map and the other few things he had brought with him. But now he was at her side, he couldn't compare the photo to the real thing. He looked into her eyes, and felt his heart pace quicken. And in that moment, just like he had admitted to himself he liked her, he admitted to himself the obvious: he was in love with her.

Plain and simple, but at the same time so incredibly complicated. He mused over this epiphany while he stared at her eyes a bit more, his hands snaking around her waist. It probably was rushed, and after all he was only near seventeen, but it seemed perfectly plausible. The way her smirk could light up a whole room, or the way she could understand him without words, or even how she stopped his breath short when she looked at him, they were reasons enough. And he should've been scared of love, scared of the thing that caused both his parents and so many other people to be dead, even if it was the key of his survival, but he found out that a thing that could make you feel so good couldn't be rejected.

And so he bent down and kissed her, trying to show her in that kiss all he didn't dare to say. Deep down he was sure he had nothing to fear about, but he still thought that maybe it wasn't the best moment for things like that. Maybe after the war... When they broke apart Isabel pressed her forehead to his, and silently stroked his cheek.

'Isabel, do you still want to come with me to search…' he couldn't finish the sentence. Despite his new-found love, he was determined to try and dissuade her from coming with them. He had had a hard time trying to convince Hermione and Ron, but they hadn't giving in, and he had to finally give in. It wasn't that he didn't love them, because he did, but Isabel ran much deeper than they did, and he knew he wouldn't sleep right if he had to be worrying about her all the time. He wouldn't be able to do anything right, for that matter. As much as it hurt, it was true.

'Yeah, I still want to come' she replied, voice firm.

'Isabel, I've thought this, I've really thought this trough, and maybe you shouldn't come' she staggered back a few steps, looking up at him, hurt evident in her face.

'Why?' she asked.

'You see, Isabel, I… care a lot about you, and I think I won't be able to concentrate properly if I have to worry about you all the time'

She snorted.

'I'm sorry, but I think I do not need to be worried about. I can fucking well take care of my own, you know?' he sighed.

'I know, I know, but imagine we are in a fight, I wouldn't be thinking about a way to win or get out of there, I would be thinking about you, whether your injured, or… I just can't.. And we will probably need someone in the outer world to tell us what happens. So, please, I'm begging you here, and not because I think you're useless or need taken care of, but because I care about you and I wouldn't like to see you injured, please can you not come with me?' he finished his little rant and looked at her, trying to decipher something form her expression, but the light coming out of the kitchen only allowed him to see the same stony expression she had worn back when he had tried to break them up. He gulped.

Seconds ticked away, and she hadn't moved at all. Finally, she breathed out.

'Okay, I will stay here. But' she held out one hand 'you owe me big time, and if I hear something is wrong I'll be there in a second, as much distraction as I am, okay?' she fiercely stared back at him, and he nodded. Really, what could he do? At least the threat of her getting harmed while they searched the Horcruxes was gone.

'Promise me one thing' he said, and she nodded, somewhat reluctantly.

'If something strange happens around you, go immediately into hiding, I don't care what you're doing, just drop it and hide, understand me?' he felt a little like Dumbledore last year, before their journey to the cave. He shut away those thoughts. He couldn't think of that, he couldn't.

'Okay, it's not like I'm going to throw myself into the spotlight and wait for them to finish me off' she joked, but he didn't smile.

'I'm serious, please' he seemed to use that word a lot. She nodded.

'I'll be here when you come back' the sureness in her voice made him look up.

'And what if I don't come back?' that thought had plagued his mind during the wee hours of the night, when sleep didn't come to him. It was a thought that made his insides tighten with fear, thinking about how much he'd left behind.

'I know you will' again that sureness in her voice.

'How are you so sure?' even himself didn't know if he was gonna make it.

'Because' she walked towards him again, closing the distance between them, and pressed a hand on his chest, right on top of where his heart should be 'I have faith in you'

He looked down at her hand and whispered

'I don't want you to get hurt' and there it was, the ultimate reason for everything. He had to defeat Voldemort, but not only to save the whole world, but also because it would mean she wouldn't get hurt. The reason behind everything he had said in the last minutes. She. Couldn't. Get. Hurt. Again, her steady and confident voice broke through his thoughts.

'I won't get hurt, and in the improbable case I get hurt, it wouldn't be your fault'

'Yes it'll be, damnit!' he snapped, suddenly finding the sureness in her voice very irritating. How could she be so sure of the future? She didn't even know if she'll be alive tomorrow, with this war going on! _Don't think that! _'I dragged you into this!' and that was true. If he had just kept his hormones and his feelings in check, maybe they wouldn't have gotten this close.

'Harry, I believe I'm old enough to make my own decisions, and I assure you I knew what I was getting into. We have already talked about this'

'I don't know, Isabel. You have such a bright future ahead of you, and mine's just a potentially fatal duel with Voldemort' she silenced him with a finger on his lips.

'You are my future, and I'll wait for you'

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There you go, first chapter! Liked it?

Please review to tell me what you thought about it!


	2. Blind Selfishness

Sorry it took me so long to update! My computer when mad and I had to fix it, and then school came in the way. Next chapter will hopefully be posted sometime next week.

This is sort of a loose chapter I had to get in somehow, hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I only own Isabel, how many times do I have to say it?

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_Chapter 2_

The next morning, when he came down to breakfast with Ron, he found Mrs. Weasley already up and making breakfast while arguing with Isabel. Hermione, Ginny and Fleur were up too.

'Absolutely not, Mrs. Weasley, you have enough people as it is, I don't want to bother…'

'You don't bother at all, dear! You'll see, we'll floo your parents right after breakfast and we'll ask them if you can stay here, I'm sure they'll be okay with that. You were going to come here in a few days for the wedding, anyway.'

'Mrs. Weasley…'

'Dear, call me Molly' Isabel sighed, looking at Harry for some kind of support, but he shook his head. He didn't have any intention of loosing time with her. They'll be apart enough time when…

Fred and George, having slept the night there, bustling into the room, and Harry sobered up instantly when he saw the hole in George's ear. The events of last night were still present to everyone, as the slightly subdued atmosphere testified. However, the twins seemed as cheerful as ever, apparently not affected by the lack of ears or death.

'Oi, Isabel, you're staying here?' asked Fred, sitting next to Hermione, and Isabel snorted.

'I'm not feeling very welcomed, you know'

'That's cause you're not' replied the twins at the same time, but grinning to make her see it was a joke. Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to scold the twins but her replay was muffled by a scratching in the window. The room froze and looked up at the source of the scraping, and a collective sigh of relief was heard when only a tiny owl was rapping against the window. Mrs. Weasley opened the window and the brown owl flew in, landing gracefully in front of Isabel, right onto her eggs.

'Carmen?' Isabel cautiously took the letter attached to the owl, and Harry recognised it immediately. The bright red letter began to fume. The kitchen was silent except for the sniggers of the twins.

'Come on, open it already!' said Ron, looking at it with apprehension. Isabel broke the seal of the envelope, and Fred and George blocked their ears with their hands – well, George just blocked one and continued eating.

'¡_ISABEL OSORIO!' _ a strong voice made the cups rattle '¡_COMO SE TE OCURRE DESAPARECER ASÍ! ¡A TU MADRE CASI LE DA UN INFARTO! ¡QUE SEAS UNA BRUJA MAYOR DE EDAD NO QUIERE DECIR QUE SEAS ADULTO EN NUESTRO MUNDO, ASI QUE NI SE TE OCURRA VOLVER A SALIR CORRIENDO!' _**(A/N: How do you dare to run away like that! Your mother nearly had a heart attack! Being an adult witch doesn't mean you are an adult in our world, so don't you think about running away again!) **Isabel was pale and was clutching the table, but everyone else was staring at the letter with a blank stare. It spoke so quickly Harry couldn't make out words. '_TU MADRE Y YO NO TE EDUCAMOS PARA QUE TE COMPORTARAS ASÍ! __VAMOS A TENER UNA CHARLA MUY LARGA CUANDO VUELVAS, Y VETE DESPIDIENDO DE TU REGALO DE CUMPLEAÑOS'_ **(A/N: Your mother and I didn't raise you to behave like that! ****When you come back we'll be having a very long talk, and say goodbye to your birthday present!) **the voice changed _'Andrés te manda recuerdos' _**(A/N: Andrés says hi) **the letter burst in flames and landed on Isabel's plate, scaring the owl, who hooted indignantly and flew off to ledge of the opened window.

The kitchen fell into a stunned silence, broken by the hysteric laugh of the twins.

'I didn't understand anything, but it was bloody awesome!' chortled George, and Ron snorted into his eggs. Soon the kitchen was full of laughter, and even Isabel smiled a little bit, but she was still pale.

'What did it say?' asked Ginny, still giggling. Isabel, shrugged, a nervous smile on her face.

'Erm, I kinda forgot to tell my parents I was leaving and such. I just dissaparated from the hospital to pick a few clothes and then back to the International Portkey.'

'Why?' asked Ron, his mouth full of porridge.

'Molly told me what you guys were going to do, and I was worried' she shrugged, sending a glance to Harry, and he felt a warm feeling spreading through him.

'Ohh, you're so in love…' George sang in a high pitched voice, and batted his eyelashes at Isabel. She shook her head, smirking, and looked briefly to Harry. He wasn't sure what the look meant, but it sure left him slightly dazed for the rest of the morning.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

He woke up a few hours after he fell asleep the day of his birthday, clutching tightly the sheets and eyes unfocused from the dream he had had. Or rather nightmare. Ever since Scrimgeour had read the testament, he couldn't stop thinking about the items he had given them. Why would he give to Hermione a children's book? And to Ron the Deluminator? And the snitch he caught in his first game to him? It didn't make sense, and still he had given them that, so Harry supposed it might help in the search of Horcruxes. But of course, they didn't have the sword of Gryffindor, the only item that seemed somewhat useful… Sighing, he rolled over in bed, staring at Ron's limp form. After five minutes he rolled over again, staring at the door, but gave up immediately. It was nearly dawn anyway, and the sky was beginning to clear. Might as well start the day early and help Mrs. Weasley out.

Slipping his shoes on, he wandered down the stairs and pushed open the door of the kitchen. It was empty, and the only movements came from a few dishes washing themselves in the sink. He was just about to turn around and try and go to sleep again when he looked out of the window, and almost knocked over a chair in surprise. Isabel was sitting in the middle of the garden, wearing nothing but a tank top and shorts and with a camera on her hands. He smiled inwardly and opened the door to the garden, silently making his way over her. He seated next to her, expecting her to jump or say something, but she just kept plucking little bits of grass. He frowned, a little concerned, and touched lightly her arm.

'I'm scared, Harry.' She said in a little voice, so unlike herself he almost pulled apart in surprise. 'I'm so, so scared, everyday, every hour, I'm scared that something might happen to you, or my family, or the Weasleys, or…'she shook her head slightly and continued to pluck little bits of grass as Harry slipped and arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his shoulder, her warm breath tickling his neck. He wanted to say something to make her feel better, but he couldn't think of anything. She was the one with good speeches, not him.

'Isabel, I have to do this. I don't have any other option, really. I can run, but he will find me someday. And I don't want anyone else dying for me' Isabel's head snapped up and she looked at him, wide eyed.

'Harry, stop being so selfish' he looked at her, taken aback.

'I'm sorry, what?' he pulled his arms away from her.

'Harry, this is so much big than you now. You might be a crucial part in all this war, but you're not the only one.' He stared at her, not knowing what to say. She was right, he knew it, but he didn't say anything. There was nothing he could say.

They stayed in silence for a while, the sky getting clearer and clearer. He stared at the garden in front of him, the garden he had spent so many good times in, and for a fleeting moment he forgot the arduous task in front of him, when he realized he was there with the woman he loved. But she didn't know he loved her.

He turned around to her, decision made, and opened his mouth to speak, but a bright flash blinded him. He blinked a few times, and when his eyes readjusted, he saw Isabel laughing, a camera in her hands.

'Gotcha!' he grinned, tackling her to the ground and trying to snatch the camera away from her, her loud laughter stirring the garden gnomes. He tried to pull aside his disappointment at not being able to fulfil his earlier intentions. He had plenty of time before he left …

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	3. Stunning Love

Okay, for this chapter I've made a few changes. First, let's pretend Harry's birthday was a few weeks before the wedding, okay? And that Fleur's parents come the wedding day, okay? Hope it doesn't mess much with your head.

And second, Isabel's dress is the one Hermione wears in the wedding, but without so many frills, okay? Hermione wears the one she wears in the book.

Disclaimer: I actually own everything and J.K. Rowling is rewriting the series just to add Isabel. (Only joking)

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_Chapter 3_

The days before the wedding rushed by and suddenly it was the wedding day, and Harry feared Mrs. Weasley or Fleur might burst a vessel. The two of them had woken up at unholy hours of the night and motioned everyone awake, shouting something about preparations and dresses.

Harry groaned into his pillow and pulled the duvets over his head, trying to shield himself from the noise. In the bed besides him, Ron did something similar.

'Come on you two, wake up!' Ginny's voice came from somewhere downstairs, but he rolled to the other side, muffling the noise. He needed his sleep. There was a five minute silence, and just when he was beginning to fall asleep again in the great dream he was having before Ginny's interruption someone nudged him softly, and he opened his eyelids to stare at the same blue eyes that had filled his dream a second earlier. Startled, he fell to the floor and jumped up, smacking his head against the low ceiling.

'Ow!' he looked up and saw a blurry silhouette standing besides his bed, surely grinning, judging by the half-muffled giggles. He found his glasses and put them on, and the world focused. Isabel was standing on his bed, already dressed and hair tied up in a messy bun in the top of her head.

'Good morning sunshine' she said, and then jumped to Ron's bed, making him fall over. Ron just rolled to the floor with a start and continued to snore on the floor. Isabel shook her head. 'Typical' she then turned to him 'You better get down there and take breakfast, Fleur parents are going to come soon, and Mrs. Weasley is going bonkers.'

As to emphasize her point, a shrill scream came from downstairs, followed by a loud thump and much swearing. Harry rubbed the back of his head, following Isabel out of the room and kicking Ron in the shins while he passed, making him groan and open his eyes. They descended the stairs, and Harry caught a glimpse of Fleur rummaging around in the living room. He entered the kitchen, stretching.

'Isabel, dear, please help me with these gnomes, they're driving me crazy.' Mrs. Weasley was also fully dressed, and already a look of utter stress was etched on her face. Isabel nodded, but before following her outside, she turned and gave Harry a quick kiss on the lips.

'Good morning to you too' and she smiled. He tried to muster up his courage, but when he finally opened his mouth to say what he wanted to say she had already gone out the door. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head and turned around to go and get Ron.

On the way upstairs, he berated himself. Time was running thin, and he had the distinct impression he was gonna leave without telling her.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

Harry froze for a moment, jaw slack, before he regained his composure and frowned at the twins's knowing grin. Isabel was advancing towards the entrance of the marquee, followed by Hermione. Hermione was wearing some sort of lilac dress, and she was fine, but really, Isabel was just breathtaking. She had pulled her hair in a twisted bun, from which a few strands of wavy hair framed her face, and she wore a red dress up to her knees that hugged her frame in all the right places without being scandalous, with matching red heels.

Rather hot in the face, Harry mumbled

'You are stunning' Isabel smiled, blushing.

'Thank you, stranger' Harry grinned, or rather the ginger muggle boy he was polyjuiced into grinned.

'You look vunderful' came a low voice near them, and Harry turned to see Viktor Krum approaching them, looking right at Hermione. Hermione jumped up and her purse fell to the floor, making a rather loud noise. Ron turned very red in the ears, and handed back Krum his invitation, while Krum shook Harry's hand and then kissed Hermione's hand. Harry decided to lead Krum to his seat before Ron killed him, and whispered to Isabel.

'I'll see you later' Isabel nodded, still a little bit pink in the cheeks, and shooed him away towards Krum.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

Harry sat on one of the tables facing the dancing floor, watching the guests entertain themselves. The wedding had been lovely and all, but he couldn't find Isabel anywhere, and he was beginning to get worried. He scanned the dance floor, stopping lightly in all the girls wearing a red dress, but he couldn't spot her. He was sitting near Krum, and the contents of his conversation about Gregorovitch and his earlier conversation with Elphias Dodge still resonated in his mind.

'Vo is that girl?' Harry followed his gaze, and almost had to hold a relieved breath. Isabel was dancing with Luna, both making strange arm gestures, and Isabel seemed close to tears of laughter. He then remembered Krum was still waiting for an answer, and frowned.

'Isabel. She is a family friend. She's dating a big bloke, wouldn't want to cross him' Krum scowled and leaned back in his chair, and Harry let out a relieved sigh, observing Isabel from his spot.

She seemed to be enjoying herself so much. Now she was trying to teach Luna some dance steps, and he had to bit back a laugh when he recognized the dance from one of the documentaries the Dursleys watched about Spain. She did know after all how to dance Flamenco. In a matter of minutes Luna had caught up, and was imitating Isabel, and soon the twins and Lee Jordan where badly trying to follow. At this point Harry was laughing so much he couldn't control it, and Isabel looked in his direction. Her face lit up and she quickly made her way to him.

'Barny, come on, let's dance!' trying to control his laughter, he followed her and joined the group of people dancing Flamenco, but at that moment the twins decided they were doing a rather bad job of it and started performing a tribal dance around Luna, leaving Isabel trying to support herself in Harry's shoulder to prevent herself from falling to the ground in hysterical laughter.

The song changed, and a slow song came in. A smirk across his features, he offered his hand to Isabel, and she took it graciously, still grinning madly. They waltzed across the dance floor, one of her hands resting on his shoulder and the other one holding his hand. His other hand was on her hip. Even when the song changed they continued to dance, as Harry was in no rush to let go of her yet.

'This is so frustrating' she suddenly said, biting her lip, and he looked at her, startled.

'What? Why?'

'I can't get near you! It'll be weird if I just jump and kiss you, somebody might figure it out. Plus, you're really not that good-looking now' he laughed.

'Jeez, thanks' she bit her lip again, as if trying to forget what she could do with them.

'I just hope that the effects have worn off before you leave' she added, and the smile that had been playing at his lips disappeared. He squeezed her hand. He had decided with Ron and Hermione to leave just after the wedding, to try and get concealed by the leaving guests.

'I'm gonna miss you' he whispered, and she bit her lip frantically.

'Me too. You mean a lot to me, Harry, you can't even imagine' he drew in a sharp breath, trying to compose himself.

'Actually, I can' he needed to say it now, he needed to say it before he left, in case something happened to him. In case something happened to her. 'Isabel, I love you'

Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to speak, but she never got to say the words. A silver lynx had landed on the middle of the dance floor.

'_The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming'_

Chaos ensued. Suddenly people were screaming and running around, and his hand was shoved out of Isabel's grasp. He saw Hermione coming towards him, Ron behind, and she caught his hand. The last thing he saw before feeling the nauseating feeling of tightness was Isabel's face, just visible through the crowd, shouting his name.

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So, liked it? I hope so. Next chapter won't be up in a while, my teachers are trying to drown me in homework.

Review!


	4. Hollow Feeling

Ohh no, Isabel's not with the Golden Trio… what will she do? And what will Harry do? So, this chapter clears up a bit, and explains what Isabel's up to while Harry is in Grimmauld Place and such. You'll see, you'll see… ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Isabel, like always.

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_Chapter 4_

Harry stared at the cracked ceiling of the sitting room of number twelve Grimmauld Place, still shaken by the events of the night before. It all seemed so unreal… one moment he was dancing with Isabel in the wedding, finally telling her that he loved her, and the next moment he was being chased by Death Eaters down muggle London. The fact that he still didn't know if she loved him didn't matter anymore. What it mattered now was that he didn't know if she was fine, if she was even alive. Mr. Weasley's Patronus had referred to family, not anyone else, and while he was sure the Weasleys had welcomed Isabel warmly, he did not know if that applied to high-risk situations.

Rolling to his side, he stared at the two sleeping forms beside him, and he felt a pang of loneliness in his chest when he realised Hermione and Ron's hands where mere inches apart, as if they had fallen asleep holding hands. Swallowing, he rolled over again, staring again at the web-like pattern of the cracks on the ceiling.

After a few seconds of blank staring, his mind wandered again to her, and he let himself reminisce about their time at the Burrow, that now seemed a lifetime ago.

He smiled unconsciously when he thought about her excited tone whenever she talked about the work she had gotten at the wizarding hospital at Madrid earlier that the summer. It had mostly been administrative work, classifying files and such, but sometimes she was able to help around, and she claimed that adding her stay at the Burrow (which her father had grudgingly agreed to, after a fifteen minutes shouting match in Spanish over the phone with her) and the wedding, made it the best summer of her life. He repressed a grimace when he realised she could no longer claim that: her best summer wasn't surely topped off with a Death Eater attack.

It hadn't been twenty-four hours since he'd seen her, but he missed her already. Maybe it was because of the suddenness of his departure, maybe it was because of the fact that she never got to say her answer, or maybe it was because he had finally said out loud he loved her, but either way, he felt a hollow feeling in his chest, not much different to the one he had felt during a part of last year, when they didn't talk to each other. Her absence, which now, as long as they were on the run, was final, seemed to bore down on him.

He had known his departure was going to be sooner or later, but he at least had hoped to properly say goodbye to her. Or maybe not. Deep down he knew that if he had had a moment alone with her before leaving, he wouldn't had left. He hated to admit it, but he wouldn't have moved from her side. He also knew she couldn't come, because, well, it was bloody dangerous and she could get hurt, but something in the back of his mind kept whispering that he couldn't be sure that if he left her behind she would be okay.

No. Stop that. She was going back to Hogwarts, there she would be safe and okay. Even if the Ministry had fallen, Hogwarts would continue to be safe. The Ministry had never reached Hogwarts, anyway.

He pointedly avoided thinking of Umbridge as he got up and headed out of the room.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

Harry inspired deeply, finally voicing what had been in his mind ever since Lupin had appeared in Grimmauld Place.

'Tell us what happened after we left, we haven't heard a thing since Ron's dad told us the family were safe' he made special emphasis in the word family.

'Well, Kingsley saved' said Lupin 'Thanks to his warning most of the wedding guests were able to Dissaparate before they arrived'

'Were they Death Eaters or Ministry people?' interjected Hermione. How did that matter? What Harry wanted to know was if Isabel was between the ones who weren't able to Dissaparate before they arrived.

'A mixture, but to all intends and purposes they're the same thing now' said Lupin. 'There were about a dozen of them, but they didn't know you were there, Harry. Arthur heard a rumour that they tried to torture your whereabouts out of Scrimgeour before they killed him; if it's true, he didn't give you away.' Harry was touched, but the unsaid question still burned in the back of his throat. 'The Death Eaters searched The Burrow from top to bottom. They found the ghoul, but didn't want to get too close to it – and then interrogated those of us who remained for hours. They were trying to get information about your whereabouts, but of course nobody outside of the Order –'

'Was Isabel able to escape?' he blurted out, cutting Lupin mid sentence. 'The Patronus only said family was safe, and I don't know if it meant…' Lupin shook his head.

'She's okay, don't worry. She managed to dissaparate just before they arrived, and luckily took a few guests with her. They stayed hidden for the night and then she came back. Her family's already gone into hiding, just for precaution, but she plain refused to go with them, so now she's staying with the twins'

'With Fred and George?' Ron asked.

'Yes, they're okay as well, but I think they're driving Isabel up the walls.' He shrugged, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. Harry wondered why she was staying with them and not in the Burrow, but didn't say anything.

'Well, it's just temporary, isn't it? She's leaving for Hogwarts in a month' Hermione said, taking a sip of her butterbeer. Suddenly she perked up 'How did they pass through all the protective spells?'

Lupin then explained them how the Death Eaters had tried to find out Harry's location and why did they want to find him, but what he felt when he realised they were accusing him of Dumbledore's murder was nothing compared to what he felt when Hermione read the Muggle-born Registration Commission article in the Daily Prophet.

'People won't let this happen' Ron stated, but Lupin shook his head.

'It is happening, Ron. People are being rounded up as we speak' Harry snatched the newspaper out of Hermione's grasp, scanning the list of names called for verification of their blood status, and his eyes fixed on a name almost at the bottom.

_Isabel Osorio Pérez, age 17_

'But then… all the muggle-born…Isabel, what are they going to do?' Harry asked out loud, and Lupin sighed.

'I don't know Harry, I don't know' the utter defeat in which he said those words made the hollow feeling in his chest squirm, getting bigger.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

The moment he caught the newspaper from an unsuspecting Ministry witch, his insides churned. He had already known Isabel would most likely not be going back to Hogwarts, and he had confirmed it the other day, when her name had appeared in the list of those not having presented themselves for questioning, but the appointment of Snape as headmaster neutralized whatever small hope he had that Isabel returned to a safe place. He didn't doubt the twins would let her stay with them, but a flat in the middle of Diagon Alley wasn't nearly as safe as he had hoped she was. The voice in back of his mind that told him that maybe it would have been a better idea to let her come along kept getting and louder as the days passed, and he had the bitter feeling of loneliness pressing in his chest, along with the one of fear about those he cared about. Knowing that the man that killed his mentor had total control Hogwarts did nothing to improve his mood, and when he arrived to Grimmauld Place he couldn't keep the sober tone out of his voice when he slammed the newspaper on the kitchen's table and pointed to it.

'I have news, and you won't like them'

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Like it? I promise the next chapter will be up soon, that is, if I get reviews, so you know, press that button down there.


	5. Corrosive Depression

Hope you like it, but be warned, there's a bit of time jumping between them, because I'm not about to do ALL the depressing moments of the depressing camping. I'm just gonna stay true to my initial intention and write about moments where Isabel is present (somehow). So, you'll just have to fit these moments in the real story line, ok?

Disclaimer: I only own Isabel, nothing else. Nada. Rien.

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_Chapter 5_

Hermione glanced up from her onion soup, brow furrowed.

'What is it?' asked Ron, beating her to it.

'Snape's been made headmaster' Harry deadpanned.

'No!' Ron and Hermione had a look of utter terror on their faces. Harry began to read the article, but Hermione cut him, exclaiming.

'Snape, Headmaster! Snape in Dumbledore's study – Merlin's pants!' she suddenly bolted and ran out of the room, shouting as she went. 'Be back in a minute!'

'Merlin's pants?' asked Ron, looking amused. 'She must be upset'

Harry smiled faintly, but as he focused on his onion soup he found himself missing the foul-mouthed insults Isabel used to say. Hermione's soft ones didn't seem to fulfil the need.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

Harry beamed at Hermione, taking in their new discovery. The sword of Gryffindor could destroy Horcruxes, they just needed to find it, and then everything would be so much easier! For the first time since the wedding, he found himself joyful, and he started to discuss where the sword could be hidden.

'So, would he have hidden the sword well away from Hogsmeade, then?' he asked Hermione, and she nodded 'What do you reckon, Ron? Ron?' for a wild second he thought Ron had left the tent, but then Ron shifted in his bunk bed and stood up.

'Oh, remembered me, have you?'

'What?'

'You two carry on. Don't let me spoil your fun.' He sounded bitter, very unlike himself, and Harry stared at him, confused.

'What's the problem?'

'Problem? There's no problem. Not according to you, anyway. But I'll spit it out, I will, but don't expect me to skip up and down the tent just there's some other damn thing we've got to find.' He approached them, and Harry stood up, feeling his good mood starting to fade away. 'It's not like I'm not having the time of my life here. You know, with my arm mangled and nothing to eat and freezing my backside off every night. I just hoped, you know, that by now we'd have achieved something.' Ron's ears were starting to go pink, and Hermione stood up too from the chair she had been sitting on.

'I thought you knew what you'd signed up for'

'Yeah, I thought I did too.'

'So, what part of it isn't living up to your expectations?' Harry bellowed, anger boiling inside of him. Didn't Ron see they had enough problems as it was? 'Did you think we'd be staying in five star hotels? Finding a Horcrux every other day? Did you think you'd be back to Mummy by Christmas?'

'No, I just thought you had a plan, we thought Dumbledore had told you what to do!' Ron was looking livid, an Hermione's eyes were darting from Harry to Ron, mouth slightly open.

'So, why are you still here?' Harry asked Ron.

'Search me'

'Go home then, go home with your mummy' Ron pointed a finger at Harry.

'Maybe I will! But I don't know if they'll still be there, because they might be dead! But you don't give a damn about them, do you? You only care about Isabel and your sweet apple pie life' Harry took two steps forwards, jamming his finger against Ron's chest.

'For your information, I don't know if she's alive either, so you can shut the hell up!' But Ron didn't show any signs of stopping any time soon.

'Oh yeah, because a girlfriend is so much important than family'

'I don't have a family! My parents are dead!' shouted Harry.

'And mine could be going to the same way!' replied Ron, red in the face.

'Then GO! Go back to them and pretend you've gotten over your spattergroit and Mummy'll be able to feed you up and-'

Ron lurched forwards, and next seconds Hermione had shouted and an invisible shield had risen between Harry and Ron, Hermione beside Harry, breathing hard. Harry glared at Ron, feeling a corrosive hatred cursing through him. Something had broken between them.

'Leave the Horcrux' Harry hissed, and Ron wrenched the chain from his neck, throwing it to the floor. He then turned to Hermione.

'What are you doing?'

'What do you mean?' Hermione's voice quivered, her eyes watering.

'Are you staying or what?' a vein in Ron's neck had begun to pulse, and he looked even more livid than when he had confronted Harry.

'I…' she looked anguished 'I… Ron, we said we'd go with Harry, I… please Ron' Ron looked at her for a moment and then at Harry, the vein in his neck clearly visible.

'I see. You choose him' Hermione gasped.

'Ron… no, there's nothing going on, Ron, no – please, Ron, no' but Ron turned on the spot, wrenching open the entrance of the tent and storming off into the night. Impeded by her own Shield charm, she removed it frantically, and ran after Ron, calling his name. Harry stood still and quiet, his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. Outside, he could hear Hermione's sobbing.

'Ron, please… Ron – no, wait, please – don't go, please – Ron… Ron!' a loud crack was heard, and Harry's eyes began to water, knowing Ron had left. A few minutes later, Hermione returned to the tent, threw herself into Ron's bunk bed and started to cry, clutching his pillow.

Harry stood motionless for a few minutes more, then covered Hermione with an spare blanket and climbed to bed, wanting nothing more than to block out Hermione's quiet sobbing.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

The sky stretched in front of him, tinted in pink as the sun slowly descended behind a mountain, and nearby, a small pond reflected the twilight's colours, giving the view a pacific look that completely clashed with his current mood. He wasn't anything but peaceful.

The war was raging, innocent people were being murdered every day, he was the most wanted person of the country, there were four Horcruxes out there, and Ron had left. Ron had left.

The hollow feeling in his chest reached anew peak, and he unconsciously massaged the front of his sweater, even knowing it was useless. The feeling would not go away, and as the world kept crumbling around him, he couldn't help but crumble too. Each day that passed seemed to slim the hope that they'll ever find the Horcruxes, or that he'll ever kill Voldemort. He was quickly and without any means to stop, falling into a depression, the one, he grimly thought, he should have fallen in after hearing the prophecy.

He brought his hands to his face, burying it in them, trying to block out everything. He felt lost and betrayed, and right now all he wanted to do was curl up a hole and die. Instead, he fished around his pockets and picked a photograph folded in two. He opened it and stared at the picture, running his thumbs slowly over Isabel's face, as he always did in those long hours of vigilance at the tent's entrance. The picture showed both of them in the middle of the Gryffindor common room, looking at each other, the only two not moving. Sighing, he tucked the photo in his jeans again.

He couldn't remember their last kiss. Sure, it was something silly, and in perspective, there where much more important things to brood over, but he couldn't take his mind off the fact that he didn't remember the last time his lips had been against Isabel's. He knew it had been sometime on the morning of the wedding, before he Polyjuiced into the redheaded boy for the wedding. He just couldn't put his finger on when.

But then, that hardly mattered, he still had plenty of memories of her, he repeated to himself, when he wasn't repeating to himself Ron was gone and he wasn't going to come back, that is.

However, along with the hope of destroying Voldemort, the memories had begun to disappear, blurring at the edges, and one rainy morning, not long ago, he had realised he could no longer remember how her voice sounded, and the next week it had been the meaning of a Spanish sentence she had taught him, and then another, and another, and another. He was beginning to fear one day he'd wake up and find out he had forgotten her face, because he knew the moment she became just another faceless body, another one of the anonymous people in the back of the photograph, then, he would loose the little sanity he had left.

He reached again for the photograph, intently staring at it until his eyes hurt and the dim light of his wand wasn't even enough to make out her features.

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Yes, if anyone is wondering, I did pick up the last kiss idea from Grey's Anatomy. I was just watching it the other night, and while the idea is from earlier seasons, I just couldn't help but be reminded of it.

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	6. Hopeless Shock

I'm 100% sure you'll like this chapter, so I'm not even going to hope. ;)

Disclaimer: I only own Isabel! God, these disclaimers are driving me nuts.

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_Chapter __6_

Harry squirmed in his bunk bed, kicking the sheets to his feet.

'_You are my future, and I'll wait for you'_

He rolled to the other side, staring at the entrance of the tent where Hermione was keeping watch, and trying to minimise the pressure in his chest. It was no use. As soon as he closed his eyes she heard her again, in a voice he knew wasn't hers, but merely his repeating the words over and over again in his mind.

'_I'll be here when you come back'_

He opened his eyes, repressing a dry chuckle. If he ever came back, that was. He wanted nothing more than to get a good night's sleep, but he couldn't sleep. He hadn't slept more than two hours in the past few days, and he knew he needed his sleep, but he couldn't just close his eyes and dream happy dreams. What was he going to dream about, if he couldn't even remember the voice of the girl he loved? What was he going to dream about, if his best friend had left them, and his other best friend had cried herself to sleep every night since then?

The excursion to Godric's Hollow had been a disaster, and now he felt even more helpless and empty, knowing the only arm he could have against Voldemort was useless, broken in two like a common stick. The visions had also gotten worse, and the one he had had after their narrow escape from Bathilda's Bagshot house had carried on several hours, making Hermione worried sick, and draining him from the little energy he could have had left. Only a few days later, when he didn't get dizzy for standing up five minutes, did Hermione and him moved from the spot they were on. Now they were somewhere in a hill, and outside a strong snowstorm was raging, whipping furiously against the tent.

He slipped on his shoes and walked to the entrance of the tent. Hermione jumped a little, looking up from the book in her lap.

'Harry, go inside, you need to sleep' he shook his head.

'No, you go inside, I can't sleep, so you could catch up with a little of sleep.' He didn't say it, but they both knew he was referring to the fact that her crying feasts left little time to actually sleeping. Hermione looked down at the book on her lap.

'I can't sleep either' she whispered, and Harry shrugged, sitting beside her. They sat in silence for a while, until Hermione closed her book with unusual force and looked at him.

'You're pathetic, you know?' he stared at her, his eyes wide. 'Do you think Isabel would want you to waste yourself like that? Do you think she would want you to sulk all day?'

'Stop talking about her like she's dead. She's not.' He deadpanned, though he knew inside he had no sure means to know if that statement was true. 'And besides, you also sulk all day' he pointed out.

'Yeah, well, I never said I wasn't pathetic too, Harry'

He sighed, leaning on the entrance of the tent, looking up at the top of the trees and the barely visible starred sky, and she leaned on his shoulder.

'I can't remember her voice, Hermione. I can't. And I fear the next thing I'll forget will be her face, because if it happens then I don't know what I'll…' he trailed off, his voice strained. Hermione gripped his hand tight.

'I fear that too. I fear I might forget' she whispered, and even if she didn't say a name, Harry didn't need her to, to know who she was talking of. 'But it could be so much worse'

Harry looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

'I mean it, it could be so much worse' she said again 'So let's just hope that someday you'll see her again and hear her voice again, okay?' a silence fell between them, and he thought of what she had said, relishing on the fantasy of seeing her again, touching her blond her again, before the reality of their situation kicked in again, and the fantasy faded, like everything else.

'Hope… I don't think I've got much of that, Hermione' he said, and she sighed, but didn't comment on that. Instead, she stood up.

'I think we should move, I think I've heard voices outside, and I even think I saw someone once or twice.'

Harry nodded, already putting a sweater over his pyjamas, and together they packed and left the spot, hiding under the Invisibility cloak.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

Harry came to his senses, spluttering water and coughing. Shivering, and feeling colder than he had ever felt in his life, he searched around for his glasses, blindly putting them on, but with no strength left to lift himself from the snow. Near him, someone was coughing and staggering around, and he thought of Hermione, that had come again to save him, just like she had done in Godric's Hollow… but then again, that deep voice didn't quite sound like her, and those heavy steps where definitely from a man.

'Are you mental?' nothing but the shock of hearing that voice could have given Harry the strength to get up. Still shivering violently, he staggered to his feet. In front of him, fully dressed but soaked to the bone, was Ron, holding in one hand the sword of Gryffindor and in the other one the locket, whose chain was now broken.

'Why in Merlin's pants didn't you take off this before you dived?' Harry stared at him, unable to form words. Nothing, nothing he had felt in the past months seemed something compared to Ron's reappearance. As he began to dress, he couldn't keep his eyes off him, fearing that this was just a figment of his imagination and that any moment now Ron would disappear.

After everything that had happened, the thought that Ron might be back seemed unreal, it seemed to good to be true, but yet, he was very true, because he was holding the sword of Gryffindor, ready to break the damned locket at last. Even if Ron didn't want to, Harry knew somehow that he had to do it. After all, it was Ron who had rescued the sword.

'Okay, on the count of three I'm gonna open it, okay?' Ron nodded feebly, but gripped tighter the sword. 'One, two, three, _open_' the last part came out as a snarl, and the locket opened.

Ron held up the sword, his hands trembling.

'Come on, stab it!' Harry said, but a cold voice rose from the locket

_I have seen your heart, and it is mine._

'Don't listen to it, stab it!' Harry shouted, but Ron seemed transfixed by the voice, and the sword didn't move and inch.

_I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible, but all you dread is also possible…_

'Ron, stab it!' Harry shouted again. Ron didn't seem to hear him, however.

_Least loved, always, by a mother who craved a daughter… least loved, now, by the girl who prefers your friend… second best, always, eternally overshadowed…_

Harry could not believe his ears

'Ron, stab it now! Stab it!' suddenly, out of the locket's two windows, rose two figures, and with a start, he realised it was him and Hermione, only a different version of them, more perfect, more cold. The locket began to burn, and Harry snatched his fingers away, looking open mouthed at the images.

'Ron!' Ron was staring mesmerized at the Riddle-Harry, who was now talking

_Why return? We were better off without you, happier without you, glad of your absence… we laughed at your stupidity, your cowardice, your presumption…_

The Riddle-Hermione swayed, cackling.

_Presumption!_

The sword was hanging limply at Ron's side as he stared horrified but at the same time transfixed at her. The Riddle-Hermione began to talk again.

_Who could look at you, who would ever look at you, beside Harry Potter! What are you, beside The Boy Who Lived? You are nothing, nothing._

The two figures turned to face each other, and met in a passionate embrace. Ron staggered backwards, staring at the images in shock, and Harry found his voice again.

'Ron, kill it!' Ron looked his way, and something red flashed in his eyes. 'Ron…?' Ron raised the sword and lunched forwards with an anguished cry, and Harry dove out of the way, slipping on the snow and whirling around, wand held high, ready to defend himself, as the same time as a clang of metal was heard, and a long, drawn out scream mingled with Ron's anguished one.

When he turned around, however, a very different scene faced him. Ron had sunk on his knees, his blue eyes no longer red, and the sword hanging from his hand, the shattered remains of the locket lying on the flat rock.

Slowly, Harry advanced to him, not knowing what to say or do, and he noticed Ron's eyes were wet, and that he was shaking, but not from cold. Ron buried his head in his hands, and Harry placed a tentatively hand on his shoulder, taking it as a good sign that he didn't throw it off.

'When you left, she cried for a week, probably more. She's like a sister to me, and I'm sure she feels the same way, and I love Isabel. I thought you knew.'

Ron didn't move, but he turned his head to the other side, cleaning his eyes on his sleeve. He looked around, searching for Ron's rucksack, but didn't find it.

'Ron, you didn't come here with nothing, right?' Ron looked up, confused.

'What do you mean?'

'Where's your rucksack?' Ron got to his feet, a look of realisation on his face.

'Oh, yeah, it's true. I didn't forget it, though' Harry looked at him, confused, and Ron rubbed the back of his head 'Hmm, Harry, I've forgotten to tell you, but, well, you see…'

'What?' he asked, anxiously looking at Ron.

'Well, Umm, there's something I haven't told you, but…'

Suddenly, a voice resonated through the woods, getting closer.

'Ron! Ron! Where are you? I heard voices and-' the voice stopped short, and Harry whirled around, mouth hanging open and heart thumping in his ears, so loud he didn't doubt Ron could hear it.

There, in the border of the clearing they were in, stood Isabel, wand in hand and blue eyes wide as dinner plates.

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See, told you you would like it!

I promise to update soon, don't worry, it would be cruel living you hanging like this.

But remember, reviews make me update faster!


	7. Justified Fear

Thanks for all the reviews, already more than 25, and just six chapters! I might even get to 50! (That would be an awesome Christmas present…)

Okay, just one more thing. Ron and Isabel DON'T have something going on, okay? It's just insane to think that. So don't worry, all of you who thought I was going to do something weird with them. I WON'T.

I'm so sorry for the apocalyptic wait, life was driving me bonkers. Sadly, I surely won't be able to update another chapter until at least January 3rd, because I'm leaving to somewhere in the middle of the mountains where there is no Internet, but don't worry, I'll still write and hopefully after the holidays the updates will be more frequent.

Happy Christmas and Happy New Year in advance!

Disclaimer: I only own Isabel.

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_Chapter 7_

Even years later, when all the dust of the war had settled and he had had time to think about it, Harry couldn't remember how much time did they stand there, staring transfixed at each other. It could have been a few seconds, or even a minute, but to Harry it felt like hours stretched into days.

The world seemed to stop, and all he could hear was his ragged breathing and his heart beating against his ears so loud he thought he might go deaf. The silence was broken by Ron shuffling his feet, or something. Harry wasn't even sure, since he wasn't looking at him, but it seemed to work as a trigger, and he woke up from a daze, but before he could even take a step in her direction, she was already mere feet from him. For a fleeting second, he was reminded of last year, after they won the first Quidditch match, how she had shoved her way towards him and kissed him full on the mouth, the kiss that had started their relationship.

In that peaceful clearing in the Forest of Dean, there was no crowd, no Quidditch pitch, but Harry felt as though he had won every Quidditch trophy existing when Isabel arrived to where he was and flung her arms around him, her hands finding his face and her lips kissing his with such intensity and ferocity their teeth clashed, but it didn't hurt. Nothing so good could hurt.

His hands acted on their own accord, wounding their way around her frame and pulling her closer, much closer that nobody being pressed to a soaking and half-frozen person would have allowed. She didn't seem to matter, though.

When the kiss ended, too soon for his taste, she buried her head in his shoulder, and with that voice he didn't know how he could have forgotten, said the words he had been desperate to hear, ever since the wedding, and she said it as though their conversation was never interrupted by a Death Eater attack

'I love you too'

His chest swelled with something he could only describe as love, and he smiled back at her. Isabel smiled at him and pressed her lips lightly against his, murmuring 'I love you' again before taking a step back and slapping him across the cheek.

'And that was for disappearing on me like that and having me worried sick for six months!' she shouted, trying to keep her face stern, but after a second her face broke into the biggest grin he had ever seen on her. Harry looked bewildered at her, trying to understand what had happened during the last three seconds. Oh, well, never mind, she was with him, right? And Ron was back too!

Suddenly remembering him, he turned around. Ron was staring at his feet, but he lifted up his eyes.

'I'm sorry' he said in a thick voice, and he looked at Isabel for a second, who smiled encouragingly. 'I'm sorry I left. I know I was a- a-'

'You've sort of made up for it tonight. Getting the sword. Finishing off the Horcrux. Saving my life'

'Saving your life? Finishing off the Horcrux?' Isabel turned to Ron, like she was noticing her surroundings for the first time, and spotting Gryffindor's sword on Ron's hand, who had picked it up. 'And why on earth do you have Gryffindor's sword?' Isabel's voice came several notches high pitched, and she looked wide eyed at both of them. 'What the hell has happened?'

Harry realised that she didn't know what had been going on until she came, and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

'Well, I was keeping watch and suddenly I saw a doe Patronus – was that you?' he asked, but Ron and Isabel shook their heads.

'We thought it was from someone else…' said Isabel.

'Anyway, I followed it, and it led me here. At the bottom of the pool I saw the sword of Gryffindor, and I dived for it. But, ah, I forgot to take off the locket… and it choked me-'

'Choked you? _Que cojones? _**(A/N: what the hell?)**' she exclaimed, cutting him mid-sentence, but he didn't mind. He had missed her Spanish swears too much.

'Yeah, he was bloody mental. When I arrived, he was practically dead. Drowning in the pool' Ron added, and Isabel opened her mouth, but closed it again, looking instead at Harry, and he took it as a signal to continue.

'When Ron saved me, I opened the locket with Parseltongue and… Ron stabbed it' his gaze travelled to Ron one second. 'Then you came' he finished, smiling tentatively at her, praying for her to not get angry. She had a look in her face that reminded him greatly of when he had told her she couldn't come with them, and for a wild second he thought she was gonna slap him again, but then her shoulders relaxed and she sighed.

'You are a fucking nut case' she said, and the words obviously tried to sound stern, but the smile on her face broke off the effect. 'But I love you, so what the hell'

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

When they arrived at the tent, Harry was practically skipping, and he shook Hermione awake eagerly. Hermione opened her eyes after a few seconds, and sat up so suddenly she almost knocked her head with his.

'Harry! What's wrong?'

'Nothing's wrong, Hermione. Everything's fine, more than fine. There's someone here'

'What do you mean? Who –' her head turned to the entrance, and she saw Ron and Isabel standing there. She got up, the blankets sliding to the floor.

'Hi Hermione' said Isabel, and Hermione's gaze fixed a moment on her, but then her eyes turned on Ron, and she advanced slowly, mouth slightly parting. Ron smiled and half-raised his arms in a hopeful way, but suddenly she sprang forwards and began punching every part of him he could reach.

'Ow, Hermione – What the – OW!' Ron backed away. Shielding his face with his arms.

'You – complete – _arse_ – Ronald – Weasley!' she punctuated each word with a blow, 'You - crawl –back – here – after – weeks – oh, _where's my wand_?' she turned around to face Harry. 'Harry! Give me back my wand' she looked ready to wrestle it from his hands, and he acted in instinct.

'_Protego_! Hermione, calm down…' an invisible shield sprang between Ron and Hermione.

'I will not calm down!' she whirled around to face Isabel, who was beside Harry. 'Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing there?' she half-shouted half-hissed.

'There?' asked Isabel feebly.

'Yeah, there!' Standing next to him!' she pointed an accusatory finger at Harry. 'Aren't you angry at him?' Hermione hissed, and Isabel jumped slightly at the expression in Hermione's face.

'Umm, why should I be?' she asked, shooting an uncertain look towards Harry.

'Because he disappeared for months! She left you alone, wondering if you would ever see him again! Aren't – you – angry?' Isabel had obviously decided not to push Hermione over the edge, because she said.

'Oh, yeah, of course' she frowned at Harry, but he grinned at her, and the corners of her mouth curved up.

'Arggh! You're insufferable!' Hermione shrieked, turning around to face Ron again, who recoiled slightly. 'Yeah, you should be afraid, Ronald Weasley!'

Harry tuned out the rest of the argument, too busy staring at Isabel and trying not to grin like a fool. She took small glimpses in his direction and shot him amused smiles, though she seemed to be listening to the argument.

'One thing I'd like to know is how exactly did you find us tonight? Once we know, we'll be able to make sure we are not visited by anybody else we don't want to see' Hermione said in a cold and fierce voice. Ron glared slightly at her and pulled a small silver object from his pocket.

'The Deluminator?' Hermione asked, the angry tone leaving her voice out of surprise.

'It doesn't just turn the lights on and off, I don't know how it works or why it happened then and not any other time, because I've been wanting to come back ever since I left. But I was listening to the radio, really early on Christmas Eve, when I heard, I heard your voice'

'You heard my voice on the radio?' asked Hermione incredulously.

'No, not on the radio. It came form my pocket, from this' he pointed to the Deluminator 'And what did I say?'

'My name, just my name' He replied, and Hermione turned a fiery shade of scarlet. 'So I took it out and it didn't seem different, but when I clicked it the light went out in my room, but another one appeared right outside my window' he looked far in the distance, his eyes unfocused for a second 'I knew this was it, so I packed and I was about to get out of the door when I remembered Isabel, and I woke her up.'

'What were you doing with him?' asked Hermione, voice full of ice.

'I was staying a few days at Fleur and Bill's' she replied, looking from Hermione to Ron, who was still holding the Deluminator. Hermione looked at her for a second and then turned back to Ron

'Continue' she demanded.

'We went outside, and there was the light, it was a ball of light pulsing and bluish like a Portkey. The light was hovering there, waiting, and it suddenly shot right through my chest, and I suddenly I knew it'll take me wherever you were, so we Dissaparated together to the side of a hill…

'Yeah, there was snow everywhere…' said Isabel, still looking cautiously at Hermione

'We were there! We stayed there two nights, but we moved because the second night we could hear people moving and calling out' Harry looked to Hermione briefly, who nodded stiffly.

'That would've been us' said Ron 'Anyway, we stuck around all night and the next day, but at the end we realised we must have missed you, so I clicked it again and the blue ball of light came out again-'

'And we Apparated to another hill, hoping that this time we'll see you, that you'd show yourselves – and Harry did'

'Well, we saw the doe first' said Isabel, giving sort of a glare to Ron, who shrugged sheepishly.

'What was I supposed to do? It kept on escaping if you came near!'

Isabel huffed.

'What, the doe?' Harry asked, and Ron nodded.

'It appeared out of nowhere, but when Isabel got near, it tried to escape and half-vanished, so in the end I had to go alone.'

'You could have at least warned me when you found Harry; you weren't that far off…' Isabel replied.

'He was bloody drowning! I didn't have time to warn you'

'Whatever. So, after half an hour or so I began hearing these shouts, and the ground sort of trembled, you know? So I started to search for you, thinking you'd blown up or something, and then…' she smirked at Harry 'you know what happened'

The three of them hadn't noticed the disgruntled look in Hermione's face.

'You saw the what? What happened?' Hermione sounded more near astounded than murderous, so Harry let the Shield charm go down, and together, for the second time that night, he and Ron explained everything that had happened in the clearing of the forest. When they finished, Hermione didn't say anything, and Ron sighed and said quietly.

'Worse than those Snatchers…'

'What Snatchers?' Hermione asked sharply, and Ron's eyes widened.

'I… when I Dissaparated from here some Snatchers got me, but they were really daft and I managed to get away, with an extra wand and all' he patted his rucksack that Isabel had given to him before entering the tent.

'Extra wand… can you give it to me?' Harry asked, and both Ron and Isabel looked gaping at him.

'Why?'

'Mine's broken' he answered quietly and Isabel gasped.

'Oh, how did it happen?' she asked, and Harry could see Hermione in the corner of his eye stiffening.

'Later' he said, giving Isabel a pointed look, and though she seemed curious, she nodded. 'Can I have it?' Ron nodded and rummaged around in his rucksack and gave him a small wand, made of dark wood. Harry pocketed it as Ron yawned widely and stretched.

'Well, I'm going to sleep…'

'Someone needs to keep guard' Hermione snapped, and Ron looked at her with pleading eyes.

'I'll do it' said Isabel quickly 'I don't need much sleep'

'I'll go with you' Harry said, following her outside of the tent.

'Try to keep watch between snogs, would you?' he heard Ron's voice from the inside.

'Shut up Ron' Isabel chuckled, sitting cross-legged on the floor, and Harry sat besides her, putting an arm around her shoulders. When they sat comfortably and Isabel had cast a warming spell on the ground surrounding them, she said.

'Sorry about your wand'

He felt the familiar pang of pain he felt every time his former wand was mentioned, though it seemed muffled by Isabel's presence.

'It's okay, I'll find another way to…' he didn't finish the sentence, but he didn't need to. They both knew he was referring to killing Voldemort. He hastily changed the subject. 'So, how did you end up at Bill and Fleur's? Last I heard you were living with the twins' she opened her mouth to talk, but he cut her off 'No, wait, tell me everything from the beginning'

'Well, at the beginning there were dinosaurs and-'

'I'm serious' he said, but he was smirking.

'The second after you Dissaparated, Death Eaters began to come from all sides, so I just grabbed a few people from around me and Dissaparated. It wasn't really a very brave thing to do, but …'

'Nonsense, you saved all those people' he said and Isabel smiled up at him, and then continued talking.

'I really don't know where I was going, but we ended up in a hill near the Burrow. Guess I couldn't go so far with four people clinging to me'

'Four people? And you didn't splinch anyone?' he asked, astounded. She shrugged.

'They were all grown-ups; I reckon they could Apparate even better than me'

'That's still impressive, we were three and Ron splinched' through the dim light of the flames Hermione had conjured in a bowl, Harry saw Isabel blush.

'Oh shut up, you. Stop attacking me with praises' she giggled 'Besides, Ron splinchs easily' she nevertheless was still smiling when she opened her mouth again. 'Well, as I was saying, we Apparated on a hill nearby and stayed there for the night, waiting for the Death Eaters to go. The next morning I decided to go back. When I arrived to the Burrow, the Death Eaters were gone, but they had burned down the marquee and had beaten Charlie to a pulp, I don't know why, and everybody was pretty shaken up, so I offered to look after Charlie until he got better.'

'And Molly? Didn't she take care of Charlie?'

'Oh, well, with everything that had happened, Mr. Weasley thought it wise to take Charlie to the twins flat, in case the Death Eaters popped up again. Molly came to visit every day, though.' She said, and then her face into a somewhat pained expression 'I phoned my parents and they went into hiding – don't worry, they're in Canarias, they'll be fine' she hurriedly added, seeing Harry's expression 'And I went to live with the twins for the remainder of the summer, but when the news about Snape being appointed Headmaster and all that, I couldn't go back to Spain to join them, because He has all frontiers controlled. I knew I couldn't go back to Hogwarts, since I'm a muggleborn and I wasn't going near that Registration Comission anytime soon, so I just figured I'd take my chances at the frontier, but thankfully the twins offered me a job and their guest room, so…'

Harry smiled. The next time he saw the twins, he would have to thank them. He shuddered to think what could have happened to Isabel if she had been on her own.

'Was Charlie alright?' he asked, worried. Ron was right after all, the Weasleys had had another child injured…

'Oh, yes, he's a big boy, he went back to Romania in no time.' She seemed honest, so he relaxed a bit, sighing. His cold breath came out as steam, circling in the air above their heads. 'But the twins started doing these retransmissions with Potterwatch, and they… umm… _kindly_ suggested that I should stay at Bill and Fleur's when they were absent…' she snorted 'They were so protective. As if I couldn't take care of myself' she shook her head, but continued talking, and Harry chose to not comment, because even if he was glad the twins were so protective, he figured Isabel wouldn't take it very nicely if he said it out loud 'It was during one of those stays Ron came barging up the frontstep. I swear I almost had a heart attack. I thought he was the only survivor or something, and when he explained he had left you, Bill had to restrain me from killing Ron' she chortled, but she leaned in closer to Harry, who squeezed gently her arm around her shoulders. 'The next time I went to Shell Cottage – that's Bill and Fleur's house – Ron woke me up in the middle of the night stammering about a blue light in the garden. I reckoned he had gone bananas, but when I saw the light, hovering outside, I packed and we left, and… you know the rest' she beamed up at him and he closed the space between their lips.

After spending so much without her, now all his senses felt overwhelmed by her sudden presence. She was everywhere, fogging his mind and shutting out everything else. It was like somebody had turned on a fire, and suddenly everything seemed more alive, and defeating Voldemort someday didn't look such an impossible task, after all…

When they broke apart, gasping for air, Isabel wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his neck.

'Mmm, I missed you' she whispered, and he smiled, hugging her closer and resting his chin on the top of her head.

'I missed you too'

They stayed in silence for a while, and Harry shook her gently.

'You're not falling asleep, are you? We have to keep watch'

'I can't sleep' she whispered, and she sounded oddly serious.

'Why?'

'It seems silly know that I'm with you again, but…' her voice came muffled to his ears, but still clear as crystal 'for a few months, I thought I would never see you again'

'Why did you think that? I thought you believed I'd make it out alive' he said, looking bewildered at her, or rather, at the top of her head. She raised her head and looked up at him, her blue eyes, almost black in the darkness, locking with his.

'I believed in you all the time, Harry. I was referring to me' she said the last part quietly, and his heart clenched painfully.

'But why? I… you're not going to die, Isabel. I won't let you. You're- you're too young to die'

'Nobody's too young to die, Harry, you out of all people should know that'

He didn't answer. He couldn't answer, she was right.

'And I'm not saying that I'm hoping to die or something, but Harry, let's face it, I'm a muggle-born on the run, friend of blood traitors and girlfriend of the Undesirable no.1' she said. His heart clenched again, and his throat suddenly felt full of cotton.

'If you want, you know, we could… end it. End us' he said, but his voice sounded strangely high-pitched. Isabel frowned at him, and for a wild second he feared her response.

'No' he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding 'I don't want to end it. You are one of the few things that make me truly happy, I love you, and it's gonna take more than a stupid snake-face to keep me apart from you again'

'Something like what?' Harry asked, bitterness in his voice, because he already knew the answer.

'Something like death.'

'Don't say that. Don't. You're alive, and I love you too' he whispered, pulling her closer, as if wanting her to feel safe again, though he knew in their current state that was impossible. There was a war, for Merlin's sake.

'Harry, I don't want to die. I have a family and a boyfriend that love me, but I can't help it if I think… I'm scared, Harry, really scared, and I don't want to be, because that makes me weak, and the last thing I need right now is to be weak, because –' her voice quivered.

'Shh, it's okay, it's okay to be scared. We're in a war, it wouldn't be normal if you weren't' she buried her head again in his neck, and he gripped her tightly. He hated to see her like that. It was so not like her.

'Thanks' she whispered, and they both fell silent again, Harry allowing himself to relish in the fact that Isabel was here with him again, and that she loved him too. It suddenly came to him that even if he didn't have his wand anymore, he still had the ultimate weapon against Voldemort, the one Voldemort didn't have: love.

When the woods became to light, and the temperature raised slightly, Isabel disentangled herself from him and stretched.

'I'm gonna wake up the others' she said, getting up, and he nodded silently, feeling suddenly cold.

'Be careful Hermione doesn't bite you' he added, and she laughed.

'Yeah, I thought she was gonna kill him' she chortled. He smiled too and got up. She had already got into the tent, and he was gonna follow her when suddenly he heard a loud scream and a thump, followed by Isabel's chortling.

'What? Don't give me the evil eye, Hermione, I only said 'spiders' in his ear, don't see what's so bad about it. He does have one in the head'

Harry couldn't help but laugh out loud as another high-pitched scream resonated through the woods.

* * *

Hope you liked it!

Review!


	8. Unsupporting Obsession

I'm so sorry for the long wait, but my holidays were hectic, and I never got around finishing this chapter. I'm so sorry! I'll try not to make you wait so much for the next one, I feel terrible!

This is sort of a filling chapter, but the last part is important, and I didn't know what to do so that it didn't turn out to be just a copy of the book with Isabel inserted in it.

Hope you like it, anyway!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Isabel.

* * *

_Chapter 8_

The cold winter wind swept the side of the hill they had apparated to, not far from Ottery . There was a magnificent view of the village, that in the distance looked like a jumble of toy houses, and as they took in the view, Harry couldn't help but glance at Isabel.

It had been a few days since her and Ron came back, and yet it seemed like a lifetime, for Harry could hardly remember the almost depression he had been in before they arrived. Even if the Horrorcruxes lay ahead of him, and the battle with Voldemort was still hanging somewhere above his head, if small miracles like the one Ron had pulled off were possible, maybe the war wasn't such a lost cause. There were still people fighting, people that believe that Voldemort's reign of terror could be defeated, and he had his friends by his side.

He took in a deep breath, the cold air making his lungs hurt, but he didn't mind.

'Where do we go now?' asked Hermione, looking around. Ron pointed to the valley that stretched on the other side of the hill, and they began descending a slightly rocky path, Ron leading them, and Hermione slightly behind, her expression unreadable. She was still angry with Ron, but Harry didn't pay it much attention. He figured if he just acted as if everything was fine, she would come back to her senses.

'We don't have things like this in Spain' Isabel's voice brought him back to reality. He was bringing up the rear of the little group, Isabel by his side. She had spread her arms wide, as if wanting to point to the whole valley.

'When you fall flat on your face, I won't catch you' he said, smirking. She snorted.

'And why not?' she asked, and he shrugged, the smirk still in his face.

'I'll be too busy laughing my ass off' he replied, and she made and aim for the back of his head, but he ducked.

'You are so chivalrous, Harry, it amazes me' she said, and he laughed. Hermione turned around sharply and shushed them.

'Do you want to alert anybody in a ten-mile radius? Keep it down!'

'Hermione, we're at the countryside, it's okay' Isabel said, but Hermione just turned around again, clutching her bead bag. Isabel turned to Harry and whispered.

'She's still upset about Ron. I don't know why though, if it would have been me in her situation I would have snogged his face off and then slapped him. And then snogged him again' she added, and he raised an eyebrow.

'Are we talking about Ron or me?'

'Of you, of course, don't be an idiot.' And made her point grabbing his coat and planting a firm kiss on his mouth. She then continued to walk, skipping slightly, and he stared at her back a few seconds before jogging up to her side again.

After the long talk they had had the night of her arrival, she seemed to have gone back to her normal self, and she was cheerful as ever, given the situation, and had immediately approved of Hermione's plan of going to see Xenophilius Lovegood, who Hermione believed was the only person that they could ask what the strange symbol – the one that appeared in Hermione's copy of The Tales Of Beedle The Bard, the graveyard at Godric's hollow, the signature of Dumbledore and the necklace of Xenophilius – could mean.

He starting walking again beside Isabel, and they continued their swapping of news, something they had been doing ever since she came back. From his part they weren't much, just the disastrous trip to Godric's Hollow and the little discoveries they had made, since Ron had filled her up with everything that had occurred before he left, but she never seemed to run out of news.

'So many things have been going on, it's insane.' She said 'One day you're cross a person in the street, and next day you found out he's been sent into Azkaban. And then there are the shops. The twins kept it running, of course, but it wasn't the same.' Isabel shook her head. 'They're nearly the only shop in Diagon Alley that's still open. All the other ones were closed… Knocturn Alley is the 'new' Diagon Alley' she said with unmistakable hater in her voice.

'Well, yeah, it would be logical, since Voldemort's now in power, but I thought a lot of people were wary about the Ministry sudden change, aren't they? And the muggleborn commission, why aren't people doing something?' he was pretty sure he knew the answer of that question, but he still wanted someone who had lived in the midst of it all to confirm it.

'Harry, people don't know what to believe. I mean, of course they see it's wrong, it's immoral, but they don't know what to do. It's like walking blind, and if you trip, you die.'

Harry sighed, trying to think of another topic to steer the conversation to before they began talking again about their ultimately demises, but he came up empty, so he just thrust his hands in his pockets and continued to walk, Isabel by his side, looking around at the valley slowly appearing before them.

They walked in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company, and Harry looked around the valley, trying to find any sign of civilisation. Finally, after an hour or something, a small cottage came into view. It seemed deserted, though, and very muggle.

'I don't reckon Luna lives here' said Ron, and he pointed to another ensemble of hills. 'Let's try over there' they dissaparated again, and appeared on the side of another hill. The sun was already in the middle of the sky, though it wasn't warm at all, and a mild and chilling wind kept messing with the girls hairs. They began walking uphill again, and Harry started wondering if Luna lived near there at all. If not, they had wasted an entire day walking for nothing.

'_Dios_, I hope we find her house soon, because I'm starving' Isabel said, her voice slightly hoarse, and before her, Ron nodded fervently. Harry was starting to feel his legs ache, and even if he didn't say anything, he felt near starvation too.

If they didn't find the Lovegood household in an hour, he was going to suggest they stopped and camped for the night, because he was exhausted…

'Hey, look, over there!' Isabel pointed to the top of the hill next to the one they were on, were a sole house stood. It was circular and tall, as if it was a tower, with small windows and a garden around it. It was however, leaning to the side, and as they got nearer, a few signs appear, making it clear that it was the Lovegood's house.

Isabel did some sort of small victory dance, and Harry watched amused, before climbing the steps of the front porch and ringing the bell.

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

While Hermione and Ron argued about the existence of The Deathly Hallows, Harry walked around the room, examining it. They were in Luna's house, and her father had just told the four of them the legend linked to The Tale Of The Three Brothers: The Deathly Hallows. The Resurrection Stone, The Elder Wand and The Cloak Of Invisibility, which while Hermione flat out believed them to be nothing more than lies, Harry was almost sure his cloak of invisibility was one of them.

'Harry, look at this' he turned around from a strange triangle shaped metal structure, and saw Isabel, who had also started to pace the room, seeing as Hermione and Ron were still arguing over the existence of The Deathly Hallows. She was standing at the spiral staircase, looking up at the next level.

'What?' he asked, looking up too, and he almost took a step back out of surprise when he saw his own face looking back at him. It took him a few seconds to realise it wasn't a mirror, but a painting, and he began to climb the staircase. From behind him, he heard Isabel whisper.

'Harry, no! We mustn't look around when he's not here!'

When he didn't reply, he heard a low humph and soft footsteps, telltale sign that Isabel had followed him, but he didn't turn around. He was gazing at the ceiling of Luna's room, where five figures were painted: Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville and him, and intertwining all figures, a golden thread that turned out to be the word _friends_ over and over again.

'Harry' Isabel's voice shook him back to reality, and he looked down, spotting Isabel standing in front of a desk. 'Harry, I don't reckon Luna's here'

Harry looked at her, brow furrowed.

'Well, of course she's not here, she's out catching something by the river' Isabel shook her head, passing a finger over the desk.

'No' she looked around the room. 'I don't think nobody's lived here for weeks. Look at all the dust' she pointed to the table, where was a darker strip where she had passed her finger. Looking around the room, he noticed the empty wardrobe, and his insides clenched painfully, his mind reeling.

What have they gotten into?

_**H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P-H-P**_

Harry looked around the tent, resting back in his bunk bed. Hermione was reading huddled up in a chair, Ron was over the far corner of the tent, tapping with his wand the small wireless and muttering passwords under his breath, trying to tune Potterwatch. Isabel was near him, drinking a cup of tea, and occasionally suggesting other passwords.

It had been a few weeks since they narrowly escaped from the Lovegood's house, and he found himself more and more obsessed over the Deathly Hallows as the days passed. The master of death… if he had the three Hallows, he could face Voldemort without an inkling of fear, knowing Voldemort's Horrorcruxes had nothing to do against the Hallows.

The others just didn't understand. They wouldn't have to face Voldemort in a duel, they couldn't understand the need to search for the Hallows, instead of the Horrorcruxes. He knew Voldemort was after the Elder Wand. If he wasn't why had he seeked Gregorovitch? Voldemort and him were looking for the same thing, but for entirely different purposes. Harry wanted it to get a step further in becoming the master of death, a sure way to defeat Voldemort, while Voldemort wanted it to contrarrest the effects of his and Harry's twin wands.

The two of them were moving towards the same objective: killing each other. It scared him out of his wits, but he knew he had to do it, he had to fulfil the prophecy, and so searching for the Hallows made more sense in his mind each day that passed.

But of course, no one understood. Even Isabel, who was normally accepting and open-minded, had refused flat out to searching the Hallows instead of the Horrorcruxes. She had said it wasn't what Dumbledore had wanted, and it wasn't even a sure way of destroying Voldemort, and even if she had a point, it did nothing to placate his longing for the Hallows. Master of death…

'I don't think that's going to work'

'Oh just shut up, okay? I've run out of ideas!' Isabel's voice brought him back to reality, and he looked over to where she was. She had her hands in her hair, doing and undoing a ponytail as she stared at the wireless, tea long forgotten on the table. She turned to him almost at once. 'So, any ideas?'

'What?' he said, startled.

'Potterwatch. We've run out of ideas for passwords, and I've proposed to use swears, but he doesn't think it's going to work.' She sent an annoyed look at Ron, but he had already turned to the wireless. She looked back to Harry, and throwed her arms in the air, mouthing 'annoying!' wordlessly, and then stood up to go rinse her cup, full of cold tea.

Deciding to do something with his time, he got up to and walked over to where she was. He leaned on the counter, crossing his arms and looking at her. She had a somewhat frustrated expression on her face.

'This stuff is disgusting, don't we have coffee around here?'

'Err, no' he said, unable to see where this was going to. She gave a great sigh and Scourgified the cup, before turning around and leaning on the counter beside him, so that their sides were brushing against each other.

'Harry, you aren't still obsessed with the Hallows, aren't you?' she asked, somewhat tentatively.

'No.' he said, staring right ahead at the entry of the tent.

'You are lying' she stated, and he looked at her. She was looking up at him, her brow furrowed. 'Harry, we've all noticed you've been kinda off lately. You've been acting as- as if you were mad at us for not agreeing with you!' he shook his head, but she continued talking 'You have to understand that we can't just throw aside the Horrorcruxes and begin to search for something that we don't even know it's real!'

'But it is real. I have one.' He pointed vaguely to Hermione's bunk bed, where lied the beaded bag, inside of which was the cloak of invisibility.

'Okay Harry, but it's still just legends. I'm not saying it's silly, but maybe we should forget about it until we've got all the Horrorcruxes, don't you think?'

He made a noncommittal grunt, looking again straight ahead, and Isabel brought a hand to his chin, making him look at her.

'Hey, snap out of it. The sooner we get those Horrorcruxes, the sooner we could start searching the Hallows, okay? But staying here doing nothing isn't helpful' she smiled a little, and he smiled back, relaxing his shoulders a little bit.

'I've got it!' they both turned their heads sharply to Ron, who was beaming. 'The password was 'Albus', I've got it!'

Hermione, who hadn't said a word the whole evening, rose at once from her chair and joined Ron at the corner, and Harry and Isabel approached the wireless too.

'…apologise for our temporary absence from the airwaves, which was due to a number of house-calls in our area by those charming Death Eaters.'

'It's Lee Jordan!' exclaimed Hermione.

'…now found ourselves another secure location. And I'm pleased to tell you that two of our regular contributors have joined me here this evening. Evening, boys!'

It was like breathing a lungful of fresh air. After so much time without direct news from the outside world, Harry had almost forgotten that there were other people fighting against Voldemort, resisting against the Death Eater regime.

He felt a mix of gratitude and shame when he heard Lupin's statement, hearing how his former professor still believed in him, even after all the awful things he'd said in Grimmauld Place. At least Lupin was living with Tonks again…

For the first time in weeks and weeks, Harry laughed freely upon hearing Fred's jokes again, and he felt part of the tension he still had leaving him.

It was wonderful, hearing news like that, but when the broadcast was over, his mind turned back to his current obsession, and as he thought Fred's words over again, a light lit in his mind.

'I knew it!' Ron, Hermione and Isabel, who had been praising the broadcast, stopped talking and looked back to him, uneasiness clear in their faces. 'Did you hear what Fred said? He's abroad! He's still looking for the wand, I knew it!'

'Harry-' Isabel had half-risen from her chair, casting him a warning look, but he didn't care.

'Come on, why are you all so determined not to admit it? Vol-'

'HARRY NO!' bellowed Ron, lurching forwards, but it was too late.

'-demort's after the Elder Wand!'

A loud crack resonated outside the tent, and Ron stared frantically at Harry.

'I warned you not to do it! The name's tabooed!'

'We have to go now, before they' the Sneakoscope on the table had lit up and begun to spin, and outside, a shuffling and voices could be heard.

Ron quickly took out the Deluminator and put the lights off, and in the dim light that came from outside, Harry saw Hermione grasp the beaded bag and shove it down her sock.

Harry looked at the entrance of the tent, and then at Isabel, who seemed panic-stricken. They looked at each other for a second, Isabel mouthed 'I love you', and he swallowed hard, nodding and opening his mouth, but the words never came out, for a voice outside rasped:

'Come out here with your wands out!'

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God, again, I'm sorry for the long time it took me to update, I meant to have done it last week, but I just couldn't find the time to finish the chapter.

I promise next will be up sooner, I feel ashamed of myself for not updating more often.

Please, review and let me know what you think about this chapter!


	9. Searing Regret

Okay, so before you read this chapter, I wanted to ask just one question. Some of you have reviewed that you would like Isabel to be tortured in Malfoy Manor as well as Hermione, so I just wanted to know how many of you think it'll be a good idea, you know, to show the connection between Harry and Isabel to the bad side.

So, just review giving your opinion!

Since I have four other stories in progress and I am after all a student with homework and responsibilities, I have decided I'll update this story every two weeks, so I have time to also update my other stories and not crumble into a heap of stress.

Thanks in advance and I hope you like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I only own Isabel

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_Chapter 9_

In the previous chapter:

_Harry looked at the entrance of the tent, and then at Isabel, who seemed panic-stricken. They looked at each other for a second before a voice outside rasped._

'_Come out here with your wands out!'_

….

Isabel, after a second of hesitation, lifted her wand and pointed it at Harry, sending a nonverbal spell that hit him and almost knocked him backwards. His face began to sting like hell, and he contained an anguished cry as he felt his eyes closing by the rapid swelling of his cheekbones. His whole face hurt as thought it had been hit a thousand times, and his eyes welled up with tears.

He heard the entrance of the tent opening with a rustle, but he could do nothing but kick helplessly when two strong hands grabbed him and dragged him outside. Behind him he could hear kicking and muffled shouting, and his stomach lurched with a mix of angered emotions. If they touched one hair of Isabel's…

Suddenly he heard a cry and something that sounded suspiciously like a slap.

'You wrenched girl! What did you bit me for? Stay still and surrender your wand!'

He tried to wriggle free of his captor's arms, anger blurring the little vision he had left when he recognized Isabel's cry, but it was little beyond useless. He was thrown unceremoniously to the floor, and his head hit the soft forest ground.

'Get – off –her!' Harry heard Ron shout, and then there was the unmistakeably sound of knuckles hitting flesh, Ron grunted in pain and Hermione screamed.

'Your boyfriend's going to have worse than that done to him if he's on my list' said a painfully familiar voice, and Harry's blood froze in his veins. Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf.

'Mmm, soft flesh… delicious…' Greyback rasped, and some of the snatchers jeered, but were cut short by what Harry supposed to be someone spitting, and Greyback's cry of rage.

'Go to hell' Isabel said, and Harry thought his heart had plummeted through his stomach. Had Isabel just spitted to Fenrir Greyback?

'Search the tent!' raged Greyback, and then Harry heard leaves crunching beneath his feet as he moved, and sudden beam of wand light fell into his face.

'What happened to you, ugly?' he laughed.

'Stung' answered Harry, his face feeling tight and sore when he talked.

'Yeah, looks like it. What's your name?' Greyback snapped, and Harry, mind reeling, said the first name that came to him.

'Dudley'

'First name?'

'I – Vernon. Vernon Dudley'

'Check it!' snarled Greyback, and there was shuffling of clothes as someone took out something. The light moved away, and Harry breathed hard.

How could have he been so stupid? It was all his fault! They were being interrogated by snatchers, and they would take them to the Ministry or somewhere worse, and then it'll be over. They would send Isabel, Ron and Hermione to Azkaban, and him… well, he expected to be held somewhere until Voldemort killed him.

Why had he had to say the name? Why hadn't he listened to Ron, when he said it was tabooed?

He vaguely heard the others being interrogated by Greyback, but his hearing seemed to improve when Isabel was asked. He waited, holding his breath, feeling useless.

'And what's your name, pretty?'

'Violet Brown' she said, voice barely quivering. It amazed him how well she was holding up.

'Violet Brown, eh? Are you telling the truth, pretty?' leered Greyback, and Harry struggled to roll over on the floor and look to where she was, the blood in his veins completely defrozen and beating with hot rage, but the swell in his face had closed his eyes.

'Keep your hands off me!' shouted Isabel, and this time there was an edge to her voice, as if fear had started to slip into her mind. The snatchers laughed, and then Harry was dragged up and suddenly he was being tied with a tight rope. He felt sick, and he tried to listen, wait for Isabel to say something more, and his chest tightened when the only sounds that were heard were the leaves crunching, and suddenly someone landed beside him with a grunt. After a few seconds the snatchers tied someone on his other side, and he almost cried up in relief when he caught a whiff of Isabel's soft smell, and a small hand gripped his.

'Harry?' Isabel asked, fear definitely gripping her voice now, and he whispered back.

'I'm here, I'm here'

'Harry?' another voice asked, right behind him, to Isabel's right.

'Dean?'

'It is you1 If they find out who'd they got! They're snatchers, they're looking for truants to sell for gold!' said Dean in a hurried whisper.

'You are an idiot, Harry' hissed Isabel, thought her hand was still firmly clasped in his.

'Guys I'm sorry. It's all my fault, I shouldn't have said it. I-' Harry said, bowing his head. He felt terrible, and not for the first time since they started the Horrcrux journey, he wondered if maybe they weren't going to make it out alive. But, this time, the haunting thought had a kind of finality to it, like there was nothing to be done.

'Hey!' came a voice from inside the tent. 'Look at this!'

'What is it?' rasped Greyback, and they could hear the crunch of paper.

'Oh, well, well, well, look what've we've got here… This girl in the photo with the Undesirable number one looks quite like you, Penelope' he said, using the false name Hermione had given him.

'No, no! It is not me! It is not me!' the terrified squeak Hermione uttered was almost as good as a confession.

'_Hermione Granger, mudblood known to travel with Harry Potter'_ read Greyback, and a sudden stillness fell in the air. Besides him, Isabel sucked in a strangled breath, and Hermione whimpered.

'With Harry Potter…' Greyback repeated, and the leaves on the floor creaked again when he crouched down in front of him. 'What's that on your forehead, ugly?' he asked, but Harry was not listening.

His scar had started to burn again, a raging, blinding burn, blurring his vision even more, and he suddenly saw a big fortress, black against the even darker sea, and Voldemort's voice in his head sounded full of delight.

'Glasses, we found glasses!' a pair of glasses was rammed into his head, and Greyback, along with a couple more of snatchers, let out a raspy laugh.

'We got Potter!' he seemed most pleased with himself, and eyed the group of people bound on the floor with a look of hunger. 'Harry Potter, two mudbloods, a goblin and two fine beauties in one night!'

Isabel was grasping Harry's hand so tight he didn't feel his fingers anymore, but he couldn't and wouldn't say something about it. It felt like the only real thing at that moment.

Between the pain in his forehead, who was reaching a peak, and the also increasing despair about their current situation, he felt like he was going to faint.

…_he was gliding around the dark walls of the fortress…_

No! No! He was Harry! He was tied up, wandless and in grave danger! He couldn't let go now, he couldn't!

He felt a tug in their bindings, and they were lifted off the ground. His feet touched the ground, and the pain in his scar redoublated.

…_looking up, up to the topmost window, the highest tower…_

'Where do we take them?'

'To the Ministry?'

'To hell with the Ministry!'

Their captors were discussing his fate, their fate, in low voices, and he could feel Hermione shaking, or maybe it was Isabel, or maybe it was him, but he couldn't see anything, he couldn't feel anything but the pain in his scar, the feeling of Isabel's hand in his own had even stopped to comfort him…

…_and he rose into the night, flying straight up to the window at the very top of the tower…_

His scar seared with pain, and he muffled a cry.

'Grab hold, and make it tight. I'll do Potter!' Greyback's shout pierced through his semiconscious state, and he felt his long, yellow nails scraping his scalp. Where were they taking them? He hadn't heard…

But then again… it didn't matter. They were lost. They wouldn't make it through. None of them. Including Isabel.

'On three! One – two – three!'

And as his stomach gave another lurch, and he felt squeezed from all sides, he wished, just for a second, to never have seated with Isabel that day, so long ago, in History of Magic class.

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Okay, that chapter is finally over. It took me almost three weeks, no kidding. It was extremely hard to do. Staying faithful to the book and at the same time give it some interest is proving to be extremely difficult, so expect some looseness from the book from now on.

Next chapter should take a while to get posted, as I fear is gonna be quite long. Please don't forget to review and tell me what you think about Isabel being tortured in Malfoy's Manor.

Thanks!


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